Litchfield Beach

The week after Labor Day, my cousins and I spent time at Litchfield Beach, enjoying the sun, sand, waves, and relaxed atmosphere. Many of the summer visitors had departed and the coast was reclaimed by its residents. We visited with friends in nearby Conway and Murrells Inlet, eating at great local restaurants including the Hanser House, Rivertown Bistro, and Inlet Kitchen. One day, we shopped at the Original Hammock Shops and sampled some of the delicious fudge and wine offered there. From our screened porch, we watched an alligator sun itself beside a pond. Had a wonderful time being together!

 

Visiting the Emerald City

In August, I visited the Pacific Northwest for the first time when I attended the National Conference of State Legislatures Summit in Seattle, Washington. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about several western states’ legalization of marijuana, hearing historian Jon Meacham, and taking a tour of the state capitol in Olympia, organized by Chuck Williams of the SC Senate Security staff. I arrived the weekend before the conference and spent a glorious morning with Robert Dugoni and his wife Cristina at Alki Beach. Also, I got to see Wicked on tour at the Paramount Theatre. The perfect musical for the Emerald City!

Two Fabulous Book Releases from Robert Dugoni and Art Taylor!

Robert Dugoni

Art Taylor

Today, two fine authors and dear friends are celebrating book releases. Robert Dugoni’s second book in his Tracy Crosswhite series, Her Final Breath, has the homicide detective beginning an investigation of a serial killer known as the Cowboy after having dealt with the sensational retrial of her sister’s killer in My Sister’s Grave. Art Taylor’s On the Road with Del and Louise is a novel told in short stories, featuring Del, a small time crook with a moral conscience, and Louise, who falls in love with him. Their cross-country adventures range from screwball comedy to domestic drama to traditional whodunit.

A New Book from Susan F. Craft!

Susan F. Craft’s celebrating a new Xanthakos family book release on September 14. In The Chamomile, Lilyan and Nicholas met in Revolutionary War Charles Town. They searched for their stolen infant daughter in Laurel, which had Lilyan being tried for the murder of a British officer. Now, in Cassia, they have become vintners on a sea voyage, when they encounter a dying pregnant slave who requests that they care for her child. As a consequence, they find themselves marooned on an island along North Carolina's Outer Banks and become victims of pirates led by the murderous Captain Galeo (The Shark).

Greg, Audrey II, and Oliver

Greg Rawls and I met in a high school production of Bye Bye Birdie.

Since then, we’ve enjoyed watching and participating in theatre (including the set he made for my first directorial effort, Oliver!)

Now, in retirement, he’s working with the University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Performing Arts and created Audrey II for its Little Shop of Horrors.

He’s also an accomplished glass artist having won the 2012 Cooper River Bridge Run poster competition for a poster made almost entirely out of glass.

In his spare time, he’s a paddler for DragonBoat Beaufort and Oliver’s doting “dad.”